Top Notch Equestrian Centre

We pride ourselves in offering some of the best instruction on the east coast.  Our instructors have many years of experience as well as college degrees in the equine industry.  Every Instructor has different backgrounds and knowledge which comes together to produce extremely well rounded and educated students. 

"You can not train a horse to a shout and expect him to obey a whisper"

Kelly Ann Poff-

Kelly is the Head Trainer and Co-Owner of TNEC.  She started riding at the age of 5 with Mrs. Whistle at Hob Nob Hill in Easton, PA.  While growing up she showed at several Hunter/Jumper shows an worked at local barns schooling horses.  Financially Kelly's family could not afford for her to have an extensive show career so instead she rode and cared for other peoples horses to  help pay for her own horse.  After high school Kelly attended Potomac Equestrian Center in Gaithersburg, MD where she graduated first in her class with a degree in Equine Management, Training and Instruction. While attending college she worked with such trainers as Lynda Oliver in dressage, Laura Buch and Grant Shneidman in eventing as well as others.  She also worked with animal actors where she cared for the animals in the Radio City Music Halls' Christmas show as well as caring for "The Black Stallion."  After graduating Kelly found the love of teaching and training children and horses is truly where her heart was.  She has successful students from mini-stirrup thru Medals.  She also has had students placing in the top 10 at Nationals for IHSA as well as coaching some students to a win in equitation classes at the Appaloosa Nationals. 

If asked, the most important thing to Kelly is to see her students over come any obstacle and do there very best while feeling a sense of pride in themselves.  Kelly is also the director and

choreographer of the Top Notch Equestrian Centre Drill Team..  The team has performed at the Bonnie Brae Polo Classic, Warren County Fair,  Phillipsburg's Old Town Festival, 4-H State Championships and more.  The team also performed for a few years at the Olympic Head Quarters in Gladstone where they were asked to be Good Will Ambassadors for the Olympic Team. 

Rebecca Ann Poff-

Becky grew up with her mother's passion molding her into the horse woman she is today. When Becky was young she showed her Welsh Mountain pony, Jubal Troop, to many championships on the PennJersey Show Circuit as well as excelling in 4-H.  When her mother moved to Windy Way Farm she got a chance to ride with other kids.  It was at that time she started in pony club and enjoyed the thrill of cross country jumping.  As a child she enjoyed doing catch rides at horse shows for other local trainers as well as breaking ponies.  When her mother relocated the business to NJ, Becky and her sister Brittany became the "guinea pigs" for breaking and training ponies, problem horses and off the track TB's full time!  Becky purchased her first horse when she was in High School and was successful, often bringing home championship ribbons as well as year end championships.  Becky went on to attend Morrisville State College where she competed in IHSA in the "Open" level.  She graduated with a degree in equine science and also was bit by the breeding bug.   Becky has done many clinics with such people as Chris Kappler and Candice King as well as others.  She also has gone through the training and now has her Equine Appraisal License.  She has been teaching for TNEC for 5 steady years now with successful students from mini-stirrup up to the mini-medals.  She has horses in training that range from weanlings and starting babies all the way to helping horses move up to the 3'6.  She also does the breeding here at TNEC!  Becky has a tendency of being the comic relief and enjoys bringing unconventional colors into the ring just to spark a reaction from her mother.  There is never a dull moment if she is around.  You can check out her Champion Welsh pony stallion Brookside Pink Magnum on her website www.rebedonfarm.com

Holly Fatula-Seickel

Holly has also grown up in the horse world.  Kelly was one of Holly's first trainers! She grew up showing on the Penn Jersey Horse Show Association and 4-H circuits.  It was normal for Holly to come home from horse shows with trophies and championship ribbons.  As a Junior she rode with Peggy Gehman and competed in the Children's Hunter Division and then the Small Junior Hunters.  Holly showed all over the east coast and loved every minute.  After High School she attended Centenary College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Equine Science with a concentration in Training and Instruction.  While her attendance at Centenary, Holly also competed in IHSA in the "Open" level.  While showing IHSA she was a Caccione Cup winner at Tournament of Champions, year end PHSA Small Junior Hunter Reserve Champion, Reserve Champion at ANRC Finals in 2003, 5th at ANRC finals in 2002 to name a few.  While in college Holly worked with some of the top trainers in the country such as Raegan Roberts, Kimberly Frey, and Courtney Phibbs.  After graduation she took a position working with Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley in Flemington, NJ.  There she traveled all over the country as well as out of the country and helped manage the 60 plus horse farm.  She also aided in the riding and breaking of their young horses. "Working for all of these top trainers has given me a vast range of knowledge and experience and I cannot wait to share all of them with our students new or old." Holly has been teaching and training with TNEC for a year now and we don't know what we would do without her.  Her experience in the show ring is used at TNEC as she shows many of our greenies and show horses. She often comes home with many top ribbons from baby green to the pre-green hunters!

Mary Kay Schultz

Mary Kay is Co-owner of TNEC and is also our Barn Manager.  Her initial exposure to riding was sneaking onto the thoroughbred training facility that bordered her grandparent's home in Paducah, KY.  There, she and her brother would ride whatever horse they could catch, riding in an open field with only a halter and lead rope.  Surprisingly, and thankfully, neither of them was killed, and eventually they were caught.  The trainer took her under his wing and allowed her to ride under his supervision.  Only visits to her grandparents allowed her to ride and summers were spent learning the care and handling of horses (only got to ride if you worked).  Gymnastics occupied the remainder of her time and eventually she went on to become both a coach and a judge (Level 5/6 USGA), with all three of her children involved in gymnastics.  When injury barred her youngest daughter from the gym, the subject of horses came up and before you know it both mother and daughter were spending endless hours at Belclare.  A Masters Degree in Sociology, almost 20 years in business (becoming the first woman Plant Controller of Allied Signal Corporation), extensive knowledge in the care and handling of thoroughbreds, coupled with an overwhelming passion for mucking stalls, made her the perfect candidate for a venture with Kelly Poff.  Their combined experience made for a great team, one that encompasses great training of both horse and rider and the experience to run a business in a professional and competent manner. 

Owners:

Kelly Poff

Mary Kay Schultz

Contact Info:

office: 908-213-1300

Located on the Belclare Farm Complex in Stewartsville, NJ